03/14/2023
Check out this information video on how obesity affects sleep-related breathing disorders: https://youtu.be/mOc5O7y2xnk
Can Sleep Apnea Cause Weight Gain?
While excess weight has long been known to be a risk factor for OSA, an increasing amount of evidence suggests the relationship is reciprocal. This is because sleep deprivation is associated with decreased leptin (an appetite-suppressing hormone) and increased ghrelin (an appetite-stimulating hormone), which may increase cravings for calorie-dense foods. Additional data indicates that insufficient sleep leads to overeating, obesity, and a decrease in fat-loss during calorie restriction.
Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Health
Sleep apnea affects a person’s entire cardiovascular system in several ways. Each time a breathing lapse occurs, the body’s oxygen supply drops, triggering a “fight or flight” response.
As a result, sleep apnea is associated with the following heart, lung, and metabolic problems, among others:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmia's
- Heart failure
- Stroke and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs, also known as “mini-strokes”)
- Coronary heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia)
Article Link: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-apnea/weight-loss-and-sleep-apnea
Give our office a call at (978) 922-1824 if you would to discuss alternative options to treat obstructive sleep apnea!
Quality sleep can play an important role in weight management, in part because sleep deprivation can increase our brain’s cravings for glucose. On this episo...
